Fans of the Master Blaster will be disappointed to know that attempts to rename the iconic Chandni Chowk as Sachin Tendulkar Chowk has lost its steam with the Delhi government putting its foot down over the matter.

The Chandni Chowk councillor had decided to move a resolution to rename the area as Sachin Tendulkar Chowk and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) subsequently decided to consider the demand in a meeting on 11 January. But the proposal met stiff opposition from various quarters from the start.

The Dr KN Katju Memorial Trust, which is chaired by Press Council Chairperson Justice Markandey Katju, had shot off a letter to Delhi Mayor Rajni Abbi opposing the proposal. “Chandni Chowk is a part of the cultural heritage of India. By changing its name, you will insult our great, old cultural heritage,” the letter stated. The letter, written by the Trust’s Secretary General Harish Bhalla, further said “Hope you will take seriously our letter of dissent and protest and not go ahead with changing the name of Chandni Chowk to Sachin Tendulkar Chowk.”

The Delhi government sent a letter to the MCD on Thursday asking it to avoid taking any such decision on renaming Chandni Chowk as the civic body was not empowered to change the names of streets and lanes according to directives issued by the Home Ministry in September 1975. The letter, addressed to the MCD Commissioner, stated, “Any attempt to rename Chandni Chowk will not only be a violation of the guidelines issued by the Union government but will also undermine the great heritage and cultural importance of Chandni Chowk, which is known for its unique spirit of co-existence across the world.” Changing the name of Chandni Chowk could deprive people of their sense of history, the letter added.

The Delhi government’s letter also referred to the guidelines issued by the Home Ministry which state that the names of streets should not be changed as it could confuse post offices and the public in general.

Renaming any roads or areas requires permission of the Naming Committee, which is under the Delhi Government’s jurisdiction.

Incidentally, the only street in Delhi named after a living person is Nelson Mandela—former President of South Africa—Road.